iPhone SE Supports WiFi 6 and Express Cards, But No U1 Chip Included

Apple's new iPhone SE is essentially an ‌iPhone‌ 8 with some updated hardware that brings it in line with the ‌iPhone‌ 11, 11 Pro and 11 Pro Max. Along with an A13 chip, the ‌iPhone‌ 8 has a few other notable hardware upgrades worth noting.

iphoneseblack
Like the ‌iPhone‌ 11 and 11 Pro, the ‌iPhone‌ SE supports 802.11ax WiFi 6, according to the technical specifications page for the device. In fact, it has the same LTE, Bluetooth, and WiFi specifications as the ‌iPhone‌ 11:

  • Gigabit-class LTE with 2x2 MIMO and LAA4
  • 802.11ax Wi‑Fi 6 with 2x2 MIMO
  • Bluetooth 5.0 wireless technology
  • NFC with reader mode
  • Express Cards with power reserve

WiFi 6 is the latest WiFi protocol, and it allows for download speeds up to 38 percent faster than WiFi 5 (802.11ac). WiFi 6 has not been widely adopted as of yet, but addition of WiFi 6 will become increasingly important over the next few years as routers and modems begin implementing support.

The ‌iPhone‌ SE also supports NFC with reader mode as all modern iPhones do, plus Express Cards with power reserve. This feature, also included in the ‌iPhone‌ 11 and 11 Pro, allows for authentication of Express Transit cards even when an ‌iPhone‌'s battery is exhausted. It will also be a useful feature for the "CarKey" function that Apple has in the works, which will let an ‌iPhone‌ serve as an alternative to a traditional car key in vehicles that support the feature.

Though the ‌iPhone‌ SE shares many connectivity features with Apple's flagship iPhones, it does not include the U1 chip that enables Ultra Wideband technology for improved spatial awareness.

The U1 chip, which is in the ‌iPhone‌ 11 and 11 Pro, allows iPhones to precisely locate other U1-equipped Apple devices, making it easier to locate missing devices indoors. Ultra Wideband has been described by Apple as "GPS at the scale of the living room," and it is believed to be a key feature of the AirTags that Apple is developing.

AirTags are Bluetooth trackers much like Tile, and will attach to items like keys and wallets to allow them to be found in the Find My app on ‌iPhone‌, iPad, and Mac. AirTags will be locatable through standard Bluetooth, but it is believed they will have U1 support and tracking could be more accurate with devices equipped with a U1 chip.

At this time, the U1 chip is limited to Apple's flagship iPhones, and there have been two new devices released without it - the iPad Pro and now, the ‌iPhone‌ SE.

Related Forum: iPhone

Popular Stories

Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's 'CarPlay Ultra' Experience Now Available

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:07 am PDT by
Apple today announced that its next-generation CarPlay experience, now dubbed "CarPlay Ultra" begins rolling out today, starting with Aston Martin vehicles. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. CarPlay Ultra is now available with new Aston Martin vehicle orders in the U.S. and Canada. It will also be available for existing models that feature the brand's next-generation ...
Apple CarPlay Ultra instrument cluster themes 01

Apple's CarPlay Ultra Is Here – Does Your iPhone Support It?

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:17 am PDT by
Apple's recently announced CarPlay Ultra promises a deeply integrated in-car experience, but not all iPhone users will be able to take advantage of the new feature. According to Apple's press release, CarPlay Ultra requires an iPhone 12 or later running iOS 18.5 or later. This means if you're using an iPhone 11, iPhone XR, or any older model, you'll need to upgrade your device to access...
CarPlay Ultra Climate Controls

Apple Says These Vehicle Brands Plan to Offer All-New CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 8:13 am PDT by
Apple today announced the launch of CarPlay Ultra, the long-awaited next-generation version of its CarPlay software system for vehicles. CarPlay Ultra features deep integration with a vehicle's instrument cluster and systems, built-in Radio and Climate apps, customizable widgets, and more. The interface is tailored to each vehicle model and automaker's identity, and drivers can also adjust...
iPhone 12 Made in India

Trump Tells Tim Cook to Stop Building iPhones in India

Thursday May 15, 2025 2:21 am PDT by
President Donald Trump has asked Apple CEO Tim Cook to halt the company's manufacturing expansion in India, in a potential disruption of Apple's plan to shift iPhone production away from China. "I had a little problem with Tim Cook yesterday," Trump said during his state visit to Qatar, according to Bloomberg. "He is building all over India." "They [India] have offered us a deal where...
apple music

Apple Music Gets New Transfer Tool to Make Switching From Spotify Easier

Wednesday May 14, 2025 5:17 pm PDT by
Apple this week introduced a new feature designed to allow prospective Apple Music users to import their saved music and playlists from third-party music services to Apple Music. The feature is either in an expanded testing phase or it has started rolling out, and it is available in Australia and New Zealand according to an Apple Support document. Signs of the transfer option first surfaced...
maxresdefault

Here's the First Real-World Look at Apple's CarPlay Ultra

Thursday May 15, 2025 5:52 am PDT by
The first videos of Apple's CarPlay Ultra experience are now available, providing a never-before-seen look at the long-anticipated iPhone-linked infotainment software. British automaker Aston Martin today shared the first video of Apple's CarPlay Ultra experience in-action, followed by a detailed walk-through of the CarPlay Ultra system on Top Gear's YouTube channel, which provides the...
iOS 18

Apple Releases iOS 18.5 With New Wallpaper, Screen Time Changes, Carrier Satellite Support for iPhone 13 and More

Monday May 12, 2025 10:06 am PDT by
Apple today released iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5, the fifth updates to the iOS 18 and iPadOS 18 operating systems that came out last September. iOS 18.5 and iPadOS 18.5 come a little over a month after Apple released iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4. The new software can be downloaded on eligible iPhones and iPads over-the-air by going to Settings > General > Software Update. The iOS 18.5 update has a...
fortnite apple logo 2

Epic Resubmits Fortnite to U.S. App Store After Not Hearing From Apple for 120+ Hours

Wednesday May 14, 2025 1:01 pm PDT by
On Friday, Epic Games submitted Fortnite to the U.S. App Store, and since then, we've been waiting to see if Apple would approve the game and allow it back on the iPhone and the iPad. There's been no word from Apple so far, but Epic Games opted to pull its first App Store review request, and has now resubmitted Fortnite. Fortnite leaker Shiina shared the news, with the information reposted by...

Top Rated Comments

calzon65 Avatar
66 months ago
Nice specs for a $399 phone.

I think the new SE will be a success, especially with people tired of seeing $1,000+ smartphones.
Score: 26 Votes (Like | Disagree)
kiensoy Avatar
66 months ago
Too bad the new iPhone SE doesn't have a dazzling display of common sense like the previous iPhone SE/5.

Score: 23 Votes (Like | Disagree)
decypher44 Avatar
66 months ago
I’m honestly considering a step down. I’ve always been one to get the flagship, plus-sized phones. But now that I have the iPad Pro, and prices being what they are, the SE is actually looking pretty good. Not a whole lot I’d be missing out on. Maybe screen quality.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
NickName99 Avatar
66 months ago
The timing really couldn’t be better. Stimulus checks are on the way, money is tight for a lot of folks but they may still need a newer phone. (Especially if their current phone broke or something)
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
EugW Avatar
66 months ago

Two opinions here

1. U1 chip is too expensive for now to include universally (partially flawed opinion due to the high cost of iPad Pro)
2. U1 chip (and the Tile counterpart) are not being used or exploited to the level Apple would have hoped and therefore not worth including until next upgrade cycles

We're going to see another SE in 3 years, another iPad Pro in 12-18 months and by then the iPhone 12 Pro will be out. It'd be amazing if the iPad 12 gets U1 again but still no other products with the chip.

I thought Tile clone relied on U1 or at least that's the opinion of the Mac-Pundits.

The U1 inclusion can't be that expensive relative to an iPad Pro to include.
I suspect 95% of buyers don't know what U1 is and wouldn't care much anyway.

It's definitely not something I'd be looking for in a low cost SE.
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BenTrovato Avatar
66 months ago
TouchID & an A13 :):):)
Score: 9 Votes (Like | Disagree)